The Republic of Indonesia and Boeing shared their commitment to finalize the sale of 24 F-15EX fighters to Indonesia, subject to U.S. government approval, during a visit of Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto to the United States. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, Head of Defense Facilities Agency, Indonesia Ministry of Defense, and Mark Sears, Boeing Fighters vice president and program manager, took place today at the company’s St. Louis facility following a tour of the F-15EX production line. The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever built, with digital fly-by-wire flight controls, a new electronic warfare system, an all-glass digital cockpit, and the latest mission systems and software capabilities, which will all be leveraged in delivering the new F-15IDN.
“We have invested years of expertise into developing the F-15EX capabilities. There is no other fighter like the F-15 in the world, and this platform will put Indonesia at the top of air dominance capabilities. Boeing is ready to support this effort and remains a committed partner to the U.S. government in advancing international security objectives with allies and partners around the world,” said Mark Sears.
“We are pleased to announce our commitment to procure the critical F-15EX fighter capability for Indonesia. This state-of-the-art fighter will protect and secure our nation with its advanced capabilities,” said Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto who witnessed the MoU signing.
In February 2022, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to 36 F-15IDs and related equipment to Indonesia. As of 21 November 2022, Indonesia’s planned purchase of F-15s is in advanced stages and awaiting final sign-off from the government, as stated by the Indonesian Minister of Defense. Speaking after meeting his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin in Jakarta, Prabowo Subianto said that Boeing had agreed to the financial offer proposed and he is confident the package is affordable. Boeing and Indonesia have worked in partnership for nearly 75 years to support the development of aerospace and defense capabilities in the country through training, supply chain development and collaborations. Today, Boeing’s presence in Indonesia covers commercial aviation, defense, space, supply chain, academia partnerships and talent development efforts across the local industry.
Currently the F-15 is operated by seven countries around the world. The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. The U.S. Air Force bought the F-15EX to maintain fleet size as F-22 production ended, the F-35 was delayed, and its F-15s aged. Although it is not expected to survive against modern air defenses by 2028, the F-15EX can perform homeland and airbase defense, enforce no-fly zones against limited air defenses, and deploy standoff weapons. On 7 April 2021, its official name Eagle II was announced. The U.S. Air Force had ordered 80 F-15EX Eagle IIs orders to 80. The U.S. Air Force’s proposed budget for fiscal 2024 includes funds to buy 24 more F-15EXs, which would bring the planned fleet up to 104 aircraft.
